Tar Heels knock off Pitt for third straight win

North Carolina’s 75-65 win over Pittsburgh gives it a three-game winning streak for the third time this season.

But there’s a different feeling about the Tar Heels this time. They’re playing like this streak can last a while.

The Heels (11-5, 6-3 ACC) have won six of their last seven games, with a loss at Florida State being their lone setback. As of now, their next scheduled game isn’t until Tuesday at Clemson.

“I don’t ever think you frickin turn the corner,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “You’re in the ACC, you’re only as good as your last game. I’ll go back to what I’ve said consistently. I think we are getting a little bit better and a little bit better.”

The Heels are closing the month a lot better than they began it. Their three-game win streak to start the new year was powered by games against Notre Dame and Miami that weren’t decided until the final 10 seconds.

On their current streak, they can breath easier with wins over N.C. State and now Pitt that have been by double-digits. Carolina shot 60.7 percent from the field in the second half, which was a new season high. And it marked the second straight game UNC has shot 50 percent or better from the field.

“Last year, we just felt outmatched like teams were just actually better than us,” said Armando Bacot, who had team-highs with 21 points and 10 rebounds. “But this year, I feel like from a talent standpoint of view, I feel like we can compete with anybody, it’s just (a matter of) putting it all together.”

That’s not to say things are perfect. When Carolina grabbed a 66-50 lead over Pitt, its biggest of the game, it seemed to lose its intensity despite eight minutes still remaining in the game.

The Panthers went on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to pull back within two possessions 68-63.

With the game getting tight, Carolina went back to what worked all game: getting the ball inside. Bacot, who was 8-for-10 from the field, scored on a turnaround hook over Justin Champagnie to stop a 10-0 run.

On its ensuing possession, UNC guard Caleb Love made his only 3-pointer in the game for a 73-65 lead, and the Panthers could not mount another rally.

Carolina’s size proved too much for Pitt (8-4, 4-3), as it used 14 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points. Both of the Heels’ starting forwards Bacot and Garrison Brooks each scored double figures before halftime. Brooks finished with 16 points.

Champagnie, the leading candidate for ACC Player of the Year, led the Panthers with 23 points.

Williams indicated Monday that he’s leaving open the possibility that the ACC could schedule a game for Saturday. The original schedule had the Heels playing Notre Dame on Saturday, but that game moved up to Jan. 2 when the Clemson game in Chapel Hill was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

Here are the earlier updates

Heels pulling away

Carolina lost its defensive focus as it began the second half. The Panthers’ first three field goals after intermission were two dunks and a layup and the Heels’ seemed to have communication problems on each basket.

Ithiel Horton’s second 3-pointer of the game pulled Pitt within 42-38, but the Heels would not allow it to get any closer.

UNC’s offensive rebounding erased what has been a horrific night shooting from the free throw line. Twice Carolina players missed two free throw attempts only to get their own rebound and convert a basket.

Kerwin Walton helped the Heels reel off a 7-0 run to finally get some separation from Pitt. When R.J. Davis made a layup in transition it give UNC its biggest lead of the game at 56-44 with 10:52 left.

Heels lead at halftime

Carolina has held the lead for the last 15 minutes of the second half. The Heels cleaned up a few defensive lapses they had early on and held the Panthers to just 33 percent shooting from the field.

Pitt’s Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney, who average a combined 30 points per game, have yet to make a basket, shooting 0-for-8 from the field. They have been held to just three points between them.

UNC’s Armando Bacot and Garrison Brooks are both in double-figures scoring with 10 and 11 points, respectively.

UNC frontcourt standing tall

Carolina has taken advantage of Pitt’s small — and thin — frontcourt. The combination of Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe combined to score 15 of the Tar Heels first 17 points and collect seven of the team’s eight rebounds.

Pitt’s Justin Champagnie made his first two attempts from the floor — both 3-pointers — but hasn’t scored in the last 10 minutes. He leads the Panthers with six points.

Carolina held Pitt without a field goal for eight minutes to take a 20-14 lead into the under-eight minute timeout.

Starting lineups

North Carolina: Caleb Love, Kerwin Walton, Leaky Black, Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot.

Pitt: Ithiel Horton, Xavier Johnson, Au’Diese Toney, Justin Champagnie, Abdoul Karim Coulibaly.

This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 6:49 PM.

C.L. Brown

The News & Observer

C.L. Brown covers the University of North Carolina for The News & Observer. Brown brings more than two decades of reporting experience including stints as the beat writer on Indiana University and the University of Louisville. After a long stay at the Louisville Courier-Journal, where he earned an APSE award, he’s had stops at ESPN.com, The Athletic and even tried his hand at running his own website, clbrownhoops.com.